The genus alkanna is closely related to anchusa and lithospermum, and the roots of all three genera yield red coloring matters. To obtain it (wittstein) the root is exhausted with.
Dyers Alkanet Seeds. Plants are full of life and interest. In winter the madder plants will die back and look lifeless but will emerge again in the springtime.
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Alkanna tinctoria, the dyer�s alkanet or alkanet, is a herb in the borage family. (dyer’s bugloss) herbaceous perennial ground cover native to southern europe. Extremely rare dyers alkanet (alkanna tinctoria).
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However the main use for alkanet these days is in the natural dyeing of wool and cloth. It is a member of the borage family, producing large numbers of blue to purple flowers. Easy number of seeds per pack: An alkaline soil will produce a better red dye therefore if required a handful of lime applied in the winter will be of benefit.
Source: swallowtailgardenseeds.com
The name alkanet comes from arabic, al khenna (henna), from the red color of the roots.the bark of the roots provides a weak brownish red or lilac dye, which is not as strong as the dye of its cousin, anchusa tinctoria, dyer�s alkanet, but common alkanet does not need such a warm climate for growth as dyer�s alkanet does, so.
Source: davesgarden.com
Also know as dyers bugloss. In winter the madder plants will die back and look lifeless but will emerge again in the springtime. Murasaki (also known as purple gromwell, redroot gromwell, and zi cao), contains the dye compound shikonin, which is the enantiomer (chemical mirror image) of the more widely used dye compound alkannin that is found in dyer’s alkanet..